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Cybersecurity · head to head

Authelia vs Headscale

Authelia logo

Authelia

Cybersecurity

Open-source authentication and two-factor portal for reverse proxies

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Headscale logo

Headscale

Networking

Open source reimplementation of the Tailscale coordination server for a single organisation

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Authelia depends on a reverse proxy: it is not a standalone identity provider; Headscale the clients are proprietary software maintained by a company with no obligation to Headscale, so a client update can change protocol behaviour and break your control server until volunteers catch up.
  • They diverge on capability: Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Headscale covers Self hosted control server.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authelia and Headscale actually diverge.

Attributes where Authelia and Headscale differ
AttributeAutheliaHeadscale
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedLinux, Docker
CategoryCybersecurityNetworking

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Authelia

  • Reverse proxy integration
  • Two-factor authentication
  • Access control rules
  • Lightweight backends

Only in Headscale

  • Self hosted control server
  • Access control policies
  • User separation
  • Pre-authentication keys
  • Subnet routers and exit nodes
  • Own or shared DERP

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Authelia

  • Putting a login and 2FA in front of self-hosted services that have nonenot Headscale
  • Adding SSO across a small set of internal tools without a full identity platformnot Headscale
  • Home and small-team infrastructure behind a single reverse proxynot Headscale

Headscale

  • Running a mesh network where no third party may hold the device registrynot Authelia
  • A homelab or personal fleet where paying per user for a hosted control plane is not worth itnot Authelia
  • Air gapped or restricted environments that cannot reach an external coordination servicenot Authelia
  • Keeping the Tailscale client experience while removing the vendor from the trust pathnot Authelia

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Authelia

  • Depends on a reverse proxy: it is not a standalone identity provider
  • Configuration is YAML-first with no administrative interface, so changes mean editing files
  • Not a full IAM: user management, provisioning and federation are limited compared with Keycloak
  • Scales poorly as an organisation-wide identity solution, which is not its target

Headscale

  • The clients are proprietary software maintained by a company with no obligation to Headscale, so a client update can change protocol behaviour and break your control server until volunteers catch up.
  • Features that live on the vendor side, including the admin console, Funnel and app connectors, do not exist here and cannot be added, so feature comparisons against Tailscale are misleading.
  • There is no official web interface, so day to day administration is a command line tool or one of several unofficial front ends of varying quality and maintenance.
  • It is deliberately single tenant, so a managed service provider cannot use one deployment to serve several customer networks.
  • Upgrades have required database migrations and policy format changes between releases, and with no support contract a failed migration on the control server is your problem alone.

Pricing, plan by plan

Authelia

Free
  • AutheliaFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

Headscale

Free
  • HeadscaleFree
    • Full functionality, no node limit
    • Official Tailscale clients on every platform
    • No vendor account required

Which should you pick?

Choose Authelia if

  • You need reverse proxy integration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted.
  • You also want two-factor authentication.
Authelia review

Choose Headscale if

  • You need self hosted control server.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker.
  • You also want access control policies.
Headscale review

Questions people ask

Is Authelia or Headscale better?
Neither clearly leads. Authelia starts at Free and Headscale at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authelia or Headscale?
Authelia starts at Free and Headscale at Free.
Does Authelia or Headscale run on more platforms?
Authelia runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. Headscale runs on Linux, Docker.
Can I use Authelia for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Authelia best used for?
Authelia is most often used for putting a login and 2fa in front of self-hosted services that have none, adding sso across a small set of internal tools without a full identity platform, home and small-team infrastructure behind a single reverse proxy. Of those, putting a login and 2fa in front of self-hosted services that have none and adding sso across a small set of internal tools without a full identity platform are not what Headscale is typically brought in for.
What can Authelia do that Headscale cannot?
Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Two-factor authentication, Access control rules, Lightweight backends. Headscale covers Self hosted control server, Access control policies, User separation, Pre-authentication keys.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Authelia: Is Authelia free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

Headscale: Is Headscale made by Tailscale?

No. It is an independent community project. Tailscale acknowledges it but does not support it, and the clients it relies on are the vendor ones.

Authelia: Does Authelia need a reverse proxy?

Yes. It integrates through forward authentication with Nginx, Traefik, Caddy or HAProxy rather than sitting in front of traffic itself.

Headscale: What do I lose compared with the hosted service?

The admin console, the vendor relay network unless you use the public DERP servers, and hosted only features such as Funnel and app connectors.

Authelia: Authelia or Keycloak?

Authelia is far lighter and aimed at protecting self-hosted services behind a proxy. Keycloak is a full identity and access management platform, and much more to run.

Headscale: Can I still use the public relay servers?

Yes, the default configuration can use them, though many self hosters run their own DERP to remove that dependency.

Headscale: Is it suitable for a company network?

For a technical team, yes. There is no vendor to escalate to, so it needs someone on staff who is willing to own the control server.

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